John c



(No Model.)

- J. G. KUPFERLE-& J. W. DOWL ER.

BOOT-CLEANER.

I Patented Apr. 22,1884.

BREW

mum

wdig.

UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. KUPFERLE, OF ST. LOUIS, AND JOSEPH W. DOWVLEB, OF NORMANDY,

' MISSOURI.

BOOT-CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,135, dated April 22, 1884.

Application filetlseptember 22, 1883. (No model.) V

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, J oHNO. KUPFERLE, of St. Louis, Missouri, and JOSEPH W. DOW- LER, of Normandy, Missouri, have jointly made a new and useful Improvement in Boot Oleaners, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improved cleaner, a portion of the foot-piece being broken away; Fig. 2, a central vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 3 a vertical cross-section on the line 2 f Fig.2.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

One of the present applicants has heretofore patented an improvement'in boot'cleaners, in which a pair of brushes are pivoted to 20 a scraper in the form of a grating. As a boot is drawn between the brushes,the free ends of the brushes open apart, to close toward each other again when the boot has passed. The grating is set in the top of a box, which, in turn, is attached to a foot piece or base, and the means for closing the brushes are springs, which are arranged to press against theouter sides of the brushes, respectively, and to prevent the free ends of the brushes from closing 0 against each other, so as to cause injury. There are chains leading from the sides of the box to the brushes, which serve to limit the movement of the brushes. To remove the dirt from the box,the brushes and the grating must 3 5 be detached from the boX.

To provide a simpler construction, in which the means for closing the brushes are out of the way and protected from the dirt and weather, and which can be readily cleared of the dirt o falling through the grating, is our present aim.

A represents the base or piece upon which one of the feet may bear as the other is being brushed.

A grating, B, consisting of the scrapers b b b b 5 b and the side pieces, 1) b*, is attached to the foot-piece. The side pieces are the only parts immediately in contact with the foot-piece, the scrapers being above the foot-piece, so

that the dirt may be removed through the openings b b beneath the first and the last, respectively, of the scrapers.

The brushes 0 C are at their forward ends,

0 c, pivoted to the grating, the pivots c c of the brushes being journaled in the lugs b If, with which the side pieces, b b, are respect- 5 ively provided.

At their rear ends, 0 0, the brushes are provided with the eyebolts c 0 which, in turn, are united by a spring,D. This spring acts to draw the rear ends of the brushes toward each other. It is covered andprotected from the dirt and weather by being arranged between the first two of the scrapers, and beneath a plate, I), which extends above the spring from the first to the second scraper, as shown. The plate I) is shorter than the scrapers, its ends b b serving as stops to limit the movement of the brush ends a 0 toward each other. The spring draws the ends a 0 toward each other until the bolts 0 c encounter the plate ends b 0 The scrapers b b b, the side pieces, 6 b", the lugs b b and the plate I) are preferably cast in a single piece.

The end scraper b is made higher than the 7 5 others formore readily cleaning the boot about the heel.

\Ve claim- 1. Thecombination of the foot-piece A, the grating B, and the brushes 0 C, said grating consisting of the scrapers b b and the side pieces. I)" b, and having an opening or openings, b b, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the foot-piece or base A, the grating B, and the brushes 0 C, said brushes at one end being pivoted, and having 1 their free ends elastically connected by the spring D, beneath the plate I), and said grating having the opening or openings b b, substantially as described.

JOHN C. KUPFERLE. JOSEPH WV. DOWLER.

Witnesses:

G. D. MooDY,

C, T. BIsER. 

